Police cutting local sergeants

Local Assembly Member Joanne McCartney speaks out against the merging of Safer Neighbourhood teams.

The Mayor of London’s plan is to halve the amount of dedicated Safer Neighbourhood sergeants from 600 across the capital down to 300. In this first stage, each borough will merge 10 wards into 5, and Enfield & Haringey will lose 5 sergeants each, with another 300 dedicated neighbourhood sergeants to go next year.

Joanne said “I am very worried about these cuts to dedicated neighbourhood policing. Safer Neighbourhood teams are vital for preventing crime, reassurance, and building links with communities. They also played important roles during the recent riots – these teams work on the ground and know their patch. Now is the worst time to cut them.”

Each ward currently has a dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) consisting of 1 sergeant, 2 PCs and 3 PCSOs.

Joanne continued “It’s beyond bizarre that SNT sergeants are being cut at the same time a “meet your SNT” campaign is being rolled out across the capital, where people meet their local officers.”

Joanne concluded: “Enfield has already lost 30 police officers and Haringey has lost 40 police officerssince March last year, and now the sergeants of our dedicated local teams are being depleted. Labour Members voted against these cuts and we will continue to champion these vital local teams before the next reductions are rolled out next year.”

The cuts will see the following wards in Haringey share a sergeant: Fortis Green and Alexandra, Bounds Green and Woodside, Hornsey and Stroud Green, Highgate and Crouch End, and St Anne’s and Seven Sisters. The following wards in Enfield will share a sergeant: Cockfosters and Southgate, Southgate Green and Bowes, Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill, Chase and Highlands, Grange and Bush Hill Park.